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| Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'a lynching' | Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'a lynching' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has called the congressional impeachment investigation that may seek to remove him from office "a lynching". | US President Donald Trump has called the congressional impeachment investigation that may seek to remove him from office "a lynching". |
| In a tweet Mr Trump condemned the inquiry as "without due process or fairness or any legal rights". | In a tweet Mr Trump condemned the inquiry as "without due process or fairness or any legal rights". |
| Democrats may seek to impeach the Republican president by Christmas. | Democrats may seek to impeach the Republican president by Christmas. |
| A racially loaded term in the US, lynching refers to historic extrajudicial executions by white mobs against mainly African Americans. | A racially loaded term in the US, lynching refers to historic extrajudicial executions by white mobs against mainly African Americans. |
| Mr Trump has repeatedly called the impeachment inquiry, as well as an earlier investigation into foreign meddling in the 2016 election, a "witchhunt". | Mr Trump has repeatedly called the impeachment inquiry, as well as an earlier investigation into foreign meddling in the 2016 election, a "witchhunt". |
| But his likening of a process enshrined in the US constitution to racist mob killings provoked outrage among African-American lawmakers. | But his likening of a process enshrined in the US constitution to racist mob killings provoked outrage among African-American lawmakers. |
| Congressman Jim Clyburn told CNN on Tuesday: "That is one word that no president ought to apply to himself." | Congressman Jim Clyburn told CNN on Tuesday: "That is one word that no president ought to apply to himself." |
| "I've studied presidential history quite a bit and I don't know if we've ever seen anything quite like this." | |
| "I'm a product of the South," the South Carolina Democrat added. "I know the history of that word. That is a word that we ought to be very, very careful about using." | |
| Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush tweeted to Mr Trump: "What the hell is wrong with you?" | Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush tweeted to Mr Trump: "What the hell is wrong with you?" |
| "Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you." | "Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you." |
| He called on Mr Trump to delete the tweet. | He called on Mr Trump to delete the tweet. |
| Quick facts on impeachment | |
| Impeachment is the first part - the charges - of a two-stage political process by which Congress can remove a president from office | |
| If the House of Representatives votes to pass articles of impeachment, the Senate is forced to hold a trial | |
| A Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority to convict - unlikely in this case, given that Mr Trump's party controls the chamber | |
| Only two US presidents in history - Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson - have been impeached but neither was convicted and removed | |
| President Nixon resigned before he could have been impeached |